Department of Biology

Dubs II has big paws to fill as successor to UW mascot Dubs. Anne-Lise Nilsen (BS, 2014) is making sure he's prepared.

Through his G'ma Project, artist Che Sehyun (BA, English, CHID | BS, Biology, 2011) is honoring elders, ancestors and culture.

Every autumn in the Southern Hemisphere, Magellanic penguins leave their coastal nesting sites in South America. For adults, their summer task — breeding, or at least trying to — is complete. Newly fledged chicks and adults gradually head out to sea to spend the winter feeding. They won’t return to land until spring.

A paper published in the Royal Society’s journal Interface explores the effects of seawater on protein-based adhesives produced by marine mussels (bivalve mollusks). According to the study conducted by UW researchers, low pH and oxygen conditions in seawater cause the mussel’s adhesive plaques to weaken.

UW Biology Professor Janneke Hille Ris Lambers' research on the effect of climate change on plants is described in a recent article.

Two UW scientists, Abigail Swann (assistant professor, biology and atmospheric sciences) and Marlies Kovenock (biology doctoral student),  have discovered that plants with thicker leaves may exacerbate the effects of climate change because they would be less efficient in sequestering atmospheric carbon, a fact that climate change models to date have not taken into account.

Research team led by UW Professor Takato Imaizumi discovers gene activity in plants that leads to flowering.

UW Biology students and researchers have discovered new information about sea urchins on a recent submarine expedition. 

A team of researchers led by Sam Wasser (Director of UW Center for Conservation Biology) is examining the genetic data in seized elephant ivory to trace it back to the animals’ homelands and connect it to global trafficking crimes.

Jodi Green and Mike Halperin discuss their personal inspiration for creating an endowed professorship in biology.

Biology faculty and students will soon fill the UW's new Life Sciences Building along Stevens Way. 

The University of Washington opened the doors to a new Life Sciences Building that will transform learning, teaching and research for generations.

At the University of Washington, biology is the most popular STEM major at the Seattle campus, with more than 600 bachelors’ degrees awarded annually.

Expected to open in early September, the 207,000-square-foot building will be ready to host students in the fall. 

UW Biology professor Dee Boersma weighs in on the alarming and overwhelming evidence of the penguin population shrinkage.